For
my media participation project, I chose to volunteer at UMTV, and assist with
Maryland Newsline. I originally chose to volunteer at UMTV because I had
formally aspired to be a TV news anchor. I have looked up to Meredith Vieira for
as long as I can remember, and in my house, The
News Hour with Jim Lehrer was my childhood equivalent to a lullaby. I have
an infatuation with the news, and those who deliver it. I so badly wanted to be
one of them. My journalistic aspirations have always been to graduate with a
degree in broadcast journalism, start at the bottom at some local news show in
the middle of nowhere America, and work my way back to New York City, and one
day become the lead anchor of the Today
Show. I figured UMTV was a great place to start.
Upon
first arriving at UMTV, I was given a tour around the studio. Then, I was shown
what goes into making Maryland Newsline. I was taught how to angle each camera,
how to write the script for the news cast, how to work the audio machines, how
to move the script at a perfect pace so the anchors could read it smoothly, and
all the other parts that go into producing each broadcast. For the next two
times that I volunteered, I assisted in getting the cameras ready, and making
sure everything was in place before the broadcast was filmed. For each
broadcast, I would sit in the studio and watch each broadcast take place live.
It was very interesting to watch each anchors delivering techniques, and to see
first hand all the back stage work that goes into producing one broadcast.
However,
as I am poignant to report, as interesting as this experience was, and as much
as I learned about the broadcasting process, something just was not there for
me. I didn’t feel a strong connection to working at UMTV. I attempted anchoring
while at the studio, enjoyed it, but couldn’t imagine doing it every day for
the rest of my life. So, although I am disappointed that I have decided my
former “dream job” is no longer what I want, I am excited to see what I will
decide to peruse later on. I am glad I had this experience at UMTV, and I may
even volunteer there again later on in my college years. But for now, I would
like to try something new.
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